Police Chief Behind Scenes in 911 Issue

Sanford Police Chief Ronnie Yarborough has tried to weigh in behind the scenes in the issue of use of surplus county 911 funds by having one of his officers contact a county commissioner and ask him to put a "hold" on the 911 money issue. This despite comments in the Sanford Herald "that the matter would be decided by the 'boards and managers' and [Yarborough] declined comment on it."

This is not the first time the publicity-shy Chief Yarborough has locked horns behind the scenes with county officials over funds relative to law enforcement.

When Sheriff Tracy Carter began enforcing state tax liens on drug dealers by seizing property, Chief Yarborough objected to any of the funds from the seized assets being distributed to the Sheriff's Office.

The tax liens in question were created by arrests of the now disbanded City-County Drug Task Force and total over $10 million over the 20 years the task force was in existence. The task force consisted of five officers from the police department and three deputies from the sheriff's office. Chief Yarborough wanted 100% of the local share of tax proceeds (75% under state law) to returned to the Police Department after Sheriff Carter had disbanded the task force when he took office.

Citing a 1991 letter Chief Yarborough pressured then Sheriff Billy A. Bryant to write, Chief Yarborough claimed that all the money should go to the Sanford Police Department from more than 270 assessments with possession dates ranging from 12/15/98 to 11/30/06. Sheriff Tracy Carter strongly disagreed arguing that a portion of the proceeds should go to the Sheriff's Office.

Despite intensive lobbying efforts, Chief Yarborough lost this argument. On April 14, 2007 the NC Department of Revenue ruled that under legal requirements for "equitable distribution", the Sheriff's Office was entitled to three-eights (37.5%) of the funds--the same proportion as Sheriff's Deputies that had made up the task force. Since 11/30/06 the proceeds go to the jurisdiction making the original arrest.

There is no clear answer on what Chief Yarborough sought to gain in his out-of-channels attempt to influence the 911 funds.